Thursday, January 13, 2005

We'll Stink After Three Days

Indonesia is very grateful for all the help they're getting, but they're making it clear that all the outside forces are just visiting.

Indonesia Defends Restrictions in Aceh

Jakarta has long been edgy about a foreign presence in Aceh, where
separatists have fought the army for three decades for a homeland on Sumatra island's northern tip.
...
In Berlin, Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda told a news conference that he welcomed the presence of foreign troops helping relief efforts.

"You can rest assured that we welcome even ... foreign troops. Their presence is based on our request," said Wirajuda.

On Wednesday, the Indonesian government said all foreign troops should leave the country by the end of March.



Anyone besides me think that Indonesia's cannily trying to avoid being "nation built" or "set free"? And while I think that the US is the most threatening in that regard, I don't think that we're the only threat. It must suck to live somewhere that doesn't have stable government, but probably less than it does to live somewhere that has a foreign power with troops on your land trying to insist that you elect one.

Go ahead, Indonesia, show us the door as soon as you're done with us. You're right, we're just the help, and we don't live there.

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